Prractice Exerrcises – version20180427

Critical Path
P Meth
hod 

Exercise 1::

For the follo

owing table of informatiion, (1)) Draw the nnetwork diaggram,
(2)) List the neetwork paths
(3)) Determinee the critical path(s)
(4)) Determinee the float forr each activiity.

Durattion
Activityy (day
ys) Depeendency F
Float
Start 0 -
A 4 S
Start
B 1 S
Start
C 5 S
Start
D 1 A
E 8 B
F 1 B
B,C
G 2 D
H 2 F
I 1 G
Finish 0 E
E,H,I

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 Prractice Exerrcises – version 20180427
Critical Path
P Meth
hod 

Exercise 2::

Perform a Forward
F Passs and a Back
kward Pass of
o the networrk diagram aabove.

Which Actiivities have the

t same Earrly Finish ass they have L
Late Finish?

Note that th
he project staarts on the beeginning of Day-1 of thee project.

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 Prractice Exerrcises – version 20180427
Critical Path
P Meth
hod 

Exercise 3::

For the follo

owing table of informatiion, (1)) Draw the nnetwork diaggram,
(2)) List the neetwork paths
(3)) Determinee the critical path(s)
(4)) Determinee the float forr each activiity.

Durattion
Activityy (day
ys) Depeendency F
Float
Start 0 -
A 2 S
Start
B 2 S
Start
C 3 S
Start
D 8 A
E 2 B
F 2 E
G 4 C
H 1 D
D,F
I 5 G
J 2 H
K 2 H
L 4 J,K
M 3 H,I
N 1 H,I
O 2 M
M,N
P 3 L
L,O
Q 2 P
Finish 0 Q

Exercise 4::

OPTIONAL L! For extraa practice – and

a super-ch hallenge – Peerform a Forrward Pass aand Backwarrd Pass
on the Netwwork Diagram m which you u created in Exercise
E 3. Does the flooat you deterrmined withh this
Critical Path
h Method teechnique provide the sam me results as your for-thee-exam-shorrt-cut techniqque you
employed in n Exercise 3?
3

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 Practice
P Exeercises – An
nswers versio n 20180427
Crittical Path
h Method 

Exerrcise 1:

For tthe following table of information, (1) Draaw the netwoork diagram,,
(2) Listt the networkk paths
(3) Dettermine the ccritical path((s)
(4) Dettermine the ffloat for eachh activity.

Durattion
Activityy (day
ys) Depeendency F
Float
Start 0 -
A 4 S
Start
B 1 S
Start
C 5 S
Start
D 1 A
E 8 B
F 1 B
B,C
G 2 D
H 2 F
I 1 G
Finish 0 E
E,H,I

1. Hoow many an
nd which actiivities depen
nd on Start?? Draw them
m:

2. H
How many acctivities depeend on Activ
vity-A? Justt 1 – so 1 arrrow – and drraw Activityy-D:

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h Method 

3. H
How many acctivities depeend on Activ
vity-B? Theere are 2 Bs in the depenndency colum
mn – so two arrows and
draw
w in Activity
y-E and Actiivity-F:

vity-C, how many activiities depend on it? Just 1 in the tablee: Activity--F – connectt it with an
4. Noow for Activ
arrow
w from Actiivity-C:

5. G
Go back to th
he top to worrk Activity-D
D; how man
ny activities ddepend on A
Activity-D? Just Activitty-G:

6. N
Now, how maany activitiees depend on
n Activity-E?? Just the F inish milesttone. Be surre to draw it to the right
of A
Activity-G – far right:

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Crittical Path
h Method 

7. W
What depend
ds on Activitty-F? Just Activity-H:
A

8. Noow, What deepends on Activity-G?

A Just Activity
y-I:

9. Annd, what dep

pends on Acctivity-H? Juust the Finissh milestonee – also note that Finish depends on Activities-
E, -H
H, and –I. Draw
D in the arrows
a and add
a the activity durationss:

Noww, count the arrows in the

t diagramm and compa are to the nu umber of iteems in the ddependencyy column in
the ttable: If you got 13 on both countss, that servees as a realitty check thaat you did n
not leave ou
ut any
depeendencies frrom the diag gram!

Noww list the nettwork pathss. Start at th he top of the diagram andd work your way down, always chooosing to go
up inn the path un
ntil all possib
bilities of thaat choice aree exhausted.

1. St-A-D-G-I-F
Fin
2. St-B-E-Fin
3. St-B-F-H-Fin
n
4. St-C-F-H-Fin
n

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 Practice
P Exeercises – An
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Crittical Path
h Method 

Now
w add the durration of eacch activity in
n the path to calculate thee total duratiion of each ppath:

1. St-A-D-G-I-F
Fin= 0 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 1= 8 daays
2. St-B-E-Fin= 0 + 1 + 8= 9 daays
3. St-B-F-H-Fin
n= 0 + 1 + 1 + 2= 4 daays
4. St-C-F-H-Fin
n= 0 + 5 + 1 + 2= 8 daays

The longest path

h is the Criticcal Path: 9 days
d

1. St-A-D-G-I-F
Fin= 0 + 4 + 1 + 2 + 1= 8 daays
2. St-B-E-Fin= 0 + 1 + 8= 9 daays Critical P
Path
3. St-B-F-H-Fin
n= 0 + 1 + 1 + 2= 4 daays
4. St-C-F-H-Fin
n= 0 + 5 + 1 + 2= 8 daays

Each
h activity on
n a critical path
p is a criitical activitty and has a Float of Zeero:

Durattion
Activityy (day
ys) Depeendency F
Float
Start 0 - -
A 4 S
Start 1
B 1 S
Start 0
C 5 S
Start 1
D 1 A 1
E 8 B 0
F 1 B
B,C 1
G 2 D 1
H 2 F 1
I 1 G 1
Finish 0 E
E,H,I -

Actiivities-A, -D
D, -G, and –I– are on a path
p with a total
t duratioon of 8 dayss. The diffeerence betweeen this path
h
lengtth and the Critical
C Path is
i 1 day, so each
e of thesee activities hhas a float off 1 day.

Actiivities-F andd -H are meembers of 2 paths, and thet paths havve durationss of 4 days aand 8 days. The longesst
duraation of the tw
wo is 8 dayss. The diffeerence betweeen this pathh length of 8 days and thhe Critical Paath of 9 days
is 1 dday, so Activity-F and –H
– both havee a float of 1 day.

Actiivity-C is a member
m of only
o 1 path, and
a that pathh has a durattion of 8 dayys. The diffference betw
ween this path
h
lengtth and the Critical
C Path is
i 1 day, so Activity-C
A has
h a float off 1 day.

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 Practice
P Exeercises – An
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Crittical Path
h Method 

Exerrcise 2:

Perfo
form a Forwaard Pass and
d a Backward
d Pass of thee network diaagram abovee.

Whicch Activitiess have the saame Early Fiinish as they

y have Late F
Finish?

Notee that the pro

oject starts on the beginn
ning of Day-1 of the projject.

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 Practice
P Exeercises – An
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Crittical Path
h Method 

Firstt, perform th
he Forward Pass
P to determ
mine the Earrly Start andd the Early F
Finish of eachh activity:

The top path starrts at the beg

ginning of Day-1.
D Activiity –A beginns at the begiinning of Daay-1, and witth a duration
n
of 3 days, finishees as early as the end of Day-3.

If Acctivity-A fin
nishes as earlly as the end
d of Day-3, thhen Activityy–C can begiin as early as the beginnning of Day-
4, annd so on. Thhe project can finish as early
e as the end
e of Day-88 based on thhis path.

Now
w perform a Forward
F Passs on the nex
xt path – St-B
B-C-E-Fin:

Activvity-B can finish

f as early
y as the end of Day-1, which
w would allow Activvity-C to starrt as early ass the
beginnning of Dayy-2. Howev ver, Activity--C is constraained to begiin no earlierr than the begginning of D
Day-4 by
Activvity-A. Theerefore, we are
a done with h the forward d pass of thiis path.

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 Practice
P Exeercises – An
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Crittical Path
h Method 

Nextt perform thee forward paass of the rem

maining path
h: St-B-D-F
Fin:

Activvity-D can begin

b as early
y as the begiinning of Daay-2 based oon Activity-B
B’s finishingg as early as the end of
Day--1. Activity-D can then end as earlyy as the end of
o Day-6, baased on a durration of 5 ddays.

The Finish milesstone would then be ablee to finish ass early as thee end of Dayy-6, except thhat it is consstrained by
Activvity-E to fin
nish no earlieer than the en
nd of Day-8.

Now
w we can perrform a Back
kward Pass, working
w from
m the Finishh milestone bback to the leeft of the diaagram.

Worrk top-down,, so start with

h path St-A--C-E-Fin, bu
ut note that w
we’ll work iit in reverse as Fin-E-C--A-St:

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 Practice
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Crittical Path
h Method 

Now
w let’s perforrm a Backwaard Pass on path
p Fin-E-C
C-B-St:

Activvity-E and Activity-C

A were
w already complete fro om the previious path, buut now look at Activity-B B’s Late
Finissh. Based on n Activity-C
C’s Late Starrt of the begiinning of Daay-4, Activityy-B can finish as late as the end of
Day--3. Since the duration of Activity-B B is 1 day, theen Activity-B
B can start aas late as thee beginning oof Day-3 and
d
not ddelay the finish date of th
he project.

Now
w let’s look at
a the remain
ning path forr a Backward
d Pass, Fin-D
D-B-St:

Activvity-D can finish

f as late as the end of
o Day-8, and d with 5 dayys of durationn, it can starrt as late as tthe
beginnning of Day y-4. Now, looking at the Late Finish h of Activityy-B, which iis already sett to the end oof Day-3 by
Activvity-C’s Latte Start, it by
y coincidence is also con
nstrained to tthe end of D
Day-3 by Acttivity-D’s Laate Start of
the bbeginning off Day-4! So,, we are done with the Backward
B Pa ss of each paath.

So, nnow answer the question

n, Which Acctivities hav
ve the same E
Early Finish
h as they haave Late Fin
nish?
Activities-A
A, -C, an
nd –E. Note
N that thesse activities hhave zero flooat – and comprise the C
Critical Path!

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 Practice
P Exeercises – An
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Crittical Path
h Method 

Exerrcise 3:
For tthe following table of information,
(1) Draaw the netwoork diagram,,
(2) Listt the networkk paths
(3) Dettermine the ccritical path((s)
(4) Dettermine the ffloat for eachh activity.

Durattion
Activityy (day
ys) Depeendency F
Float
Start 0 -
A 2 S
Start
B 2 S
Start
C 3 S
Start
D 8 A
E 2 B
F 2 E
G 4 C
H 1 D
D,F
I 5 G
J 2 H
K 2 H
L 4 J,K
M 3 H,I
N 1 H,I
O 2 M
M,N
P 3 L
L,O
Q 2 P
Finish 0 Q

Startt drawing on
n the LEFT, but
b start read
ding the tablle above from
m the RIGH
HT (or the deependencies column):

1. Create th
he Start poin
nt:

2. ny activities depend on Start?

How man S (Look
k at dependeencies colum
mn – 3) So ddraw three arrrows:

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 Practice
P nswers version 20180427
Exeercises – An
Crittical Path
h Method 

3. W
What activitiees depend on
n Start? Ad
dd them to th
he diagram:

4. N n Activity-A? (It only iss listed once in the depenndencies coluumn – so

Now, how maany activitiees depend on
onlyy 1 arrow com
mes out of Activity-A):
A

5. Which acctivity depen

nds on Activ
vity-A? (So add Activityy-D)

6. A
Activity-B haas only 1 dep
pendency (A
Activity-E) and
a Activityy-C only has one (Activiity-G). Draw
w them:

7. Noow work on Activity-D,, -E, and G. They each have one deependency, ddraw one arrrow each:

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 Practice
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Crittical Path
h Method 

8. W
What are the Activities? Draw them in:

9. Noow, since H is past letterr F alphabettically, let’s start with F.. How manyy and which activities deepend on
Actiivity-F? Wo ow! Activity y-H depends on Activity y-F! So, slidee Activity-H
H farther to tthe right andd add the
arrow
w from Actiivity-F:

10. How many activities

a dep Four! Activiities-J, -K, --M, and -N) Draw them in:
pend on Acttivity-H? (F

11. OK, how maany Activitiees depend on

n Activity-I?? Two – Acctivity-M annd Activity-N
N, draw the arrows:

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 Practice
P Exeercises – An
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Crittical Path
h Method 

12. NNow for Activity-J; how

w many and which Activ vities dependd on Activitty-J? Just A
Activity-L, w
which we seee
also depends on Activity-K;; and note th
hat Activity-K
K has no othher dependenncies:

13. What depen nds on Activiity-M? Only y Activity-O

O; but also nnotice that A
Activity-O allso depends oon Activity--
N, annd Activity--N has no oth
her dependencies – so we
w can draw as follows:

14. NNow, what activities

a dep
pend on Acttivity-L? Onnly Activityy-P, which wwe see also deepends on A
Activity-O,
whicch has no oth
her dependenncies. So wee can add Acctivity-P andd two arrow
ws:

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h Method 

15. What activitties depend on

o Activity--P? Only Acctivity-Q. D
Draw it in:

16. A
And now, what
w activitiees depend on
n Activity-Q
Q? Just the F
Finish of the project. Drraw it in:

17. Of course, th
he diagram is
i not compllete until you
u add the acttivity durations over eaach activity bbox:

18. NNow compaare the numb

ber of items in
i the Depen ndency colum
mn with the number of aarrows: 24 onn both
counnts! Good! We
W probably y did not leaave out any dependencie
d s from the ddiagram. Rem
member – ann arrow is a
depeendency.

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 Practice
P Exeercises – An
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Crittical Path
h Method 

Nextt, list the nettwork paths. Start at thee top of the network
n diaggram and woork your wayy down throuugh the
netwwork, always going up in n the path unttil you have exhausted aall of the pathh possibilitiees before mooving down
to thhe next tier:

1. St-A-D-H-J-L
L-P-Q-Fin
2. St-A-D-H-K--L-P-Q-Fin
3. St-A-D-H-M--O-P-Q-Fin
4. St-A-D-H-N--O-P-Q-Fin

5. St-B-E-F-H- J-L-P-Q-Fin
n
6. St-B-E-F-H-K
K-L-P-Q-Finn
7. St-B-E-F-H-M
M-O-P-Q-Fiin
8. St-B-E-F-H-N
N-O-P-Q-Finn

9. St-C-G-I-M-O
O-P-Q-Fin
10. St-C-G-I-N-O
O-P-Q-Fin

Now
w calculate th
he entire path
h duration fo
or each identtified path:

1. St-A-D-H-J-L
L-P-Q-Fin = 0+2+8+1+2+4+3+2+0= 22 days
2. St-A-D-H-K--L-P-Q-Fin = 0+2+8+1+2+4+3+2+0= 22 days
3. St-A-D-H-M--O-P-Q-Fin = 0+2+8+1+3+2+3+2+0= 21 days
4. St-A-D-H-N--O-P-Q-Fin = 0+2+8+1+1+2+3+2+0= 19 days

5. St-B-E-F-H- J-L-P-Q-Fin
n= 0+2+2+2+1+2+4+3+2+0= 18 days
6. St-B-E-F-H-K
K-L-P-Q-Finn= 0+2+2+2+1+2+4+3+2+0= 18 days
7. St-B-E-F-H-M
M-O-P-Q-Fiin = 0+2+2+2+1+3+2+3+2+0= 17 days
8. St-B-E-F-H-N
N-O-P-Q-Finn= 0+2+2+2+1+1+2+3+2+0= 15 days

9. St-C-G-I-M-O
O-P-Q-Fin = 0+3+4+5+3+2+3+2+0= 22 days
10. St-C-G-I-N-O
O-P-Q-Fin = 0+3+4+5+1+2+3+2+0= 20 days

The longest path

hs are the Criitical Paths: 22 days

1. St-A-D-H-J-L
L-P-Q-Fin = 0+2+8+1+2+4+3+2+0= 22 days
2. St-A-D-H-K--L-P-Q-Fin = 0+2+8+1+2+4+3+2+0= 22 days
3. St-A-D-H-M--O-P-Q-Fin = 0+2+8+1+3+2+3+2+0= 21 days
4. St-A-D-H-N--O-P-Q-Fin = 0+2+8+1+1+2+3+2+0= 19 days

5. St-B-E-F-H- J-L-P-Q-Fin
n= 0+2+2+2+1+2+4+3+2+0= 18 days
6. St-B-E-F-H-K
K-L-P-Q-Finn= 0+2+2+2+1+2+4+3+2+0= 18 days
7. St-B-E-F-H-M
M-O-P-Q-Fiin = 0+2+2+2+1+3+2+3+2+0= 17 days
8. St-B-E-F-H-N
N-O-P-Q-Finn= 0+2+2+2+1+1+2+3+2+0= 15 days

9. St-C-G-I-M-O
O-P-Q-Fin = 0+3+4+5+3+2+3+2+0= 22 days
10. St-C-G-I-N-O
O-P-Q-Fin = 0+3+4+5+1+2+3+2+0= 20 days

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 Practice
P Exeercises – An
nswers
Crittical Path
h Method 

Each
h activity on
n a critical path
p is a criitical activitty and has a Float of Zeero:

Durattion
Activityy (day
ys) Depeendency F
Float
Start 0 - -
A 2 S
Start 0
B 2 S
Start 4
C 3 S
Start 0
D 8 A 0
E 2 B 4
F 2 E 4
G 4 C 0
H 1 D
D,F 0
I 5 G 0
J 2 H 0
K 2 H 0
L 4 J,K 0
M 3 H,I 0
N 1 H,I 2
O 2 M
M,N 0
P 3 L
L,O 0
Q 2 P 0
Finish 0 Q -

So, ccalculate thee float of Acttivities-B, -E

E, -F, and –N
N:

Actiivity-B is a member
m of 4 paths:
1. St-A-D-H-J-L
L-P-Q-Fin = 0+2+8+1+2+4+3+2+0= 22 days
2. St-A-D-H-K--L-P-Q-Fin = 0+2+8+1+2+4+3+2+0= 22 days
3. St-A-D-H-M--O-P-Q-Fin = 0+2+8+1+3+2+3+2+0= 21 days
4. St-A-D-H-N--O-P-Q-Fin = 0+2+8+1+1+2+3+2+0= 19 days

5. St-B-E-F-H- J-L-P-Q-Fin
n= 0+2+2+2+1+2+4+3+2+0= 18 days
6. St-B-E-F-H-K
K-L-P-Q-Finn= 0+2+2+2+1+2+4+3+2+0= 18 days
7. St-B-E-F-H-M
M-O-P-Q-Fiin = 0+2+2+2+1+3+2+3+2+0= 17 days
8. St-B-E-F-H-N
N-O-P-Q-Finn= 0+2+2+2+1+1+2+3+2+0= 15 days

9. St-C-G-I-M-O
O-P-Q-Fin = 0+3+4+5+3+2+3+2+0= 22 days
10. St-C-G-I-N-O
O-P-Q-Fin = 0+3+4+5+1+2+3+2+0= 20 days

h duration wiith Activity--B is 18 dayss. The differrence betweeen the Criticcal Path duraation of 22
The longest path
dayss and 18 days is 4 days. Therefore, Activity-B has a Float of 4 days.
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 Practice
P Exeercises – An
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Crittical Path
h Method 

Actiivity-E is a member
m of th
he same fourr paths as Acctivity-B. Thhe longest path is 18 dayys, so Activiity-E has a
floatt of 4 days – just like Acctivity-B.

Actiivity-F is a member
m of th
he same fourr paths as Acctivity-B. Thhe longest paath is 18 dayys, so Activiity-F has a
floatt of 4 days – just like Acctivity-B.

Actiivity-N is a member
m of th
hree paths, and
a the longeest is 20 dayys. 22 – 20 = 2; thereforee, Activity-N
N has a floatt
of 2 days.

Notee that if you perform a fo

orward-pass and a backw ward-pass onn this networrk diagram, eeach criticall activity will
havee the same Early
E Start as
a its Late Sttart becausee its Float = 0.

Thee official Critical Path Meethod usees a Forw ward Pass and a B Backward Pass
the determiine activiity float based
b on compariing Earlyy to Late values. The
tech
hnique wew employ yed in th ution is a short-cu
his Exerciise 3 solu ut that is
recommend ded for usse in worrking an exam-typ pe scenarrio.

Exerrcise 4:

This Optional Exercise

E is ch
hallenging due
d to the co omplexity off the networkk diagram resulting from m Exercise 3.
You probably won’t ever be asked to perrform a Forw ward Pass orr Backward P Pass in an exxam for suchh a complex
diagrram due to time limits an nd practicaliity. Howeveer, if you choose to perforrm this exerccise, you maay check
yourr results with
h the followiing solution:

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